To most in public relations, “spin” refers to how a story is marketed. At Tricom, it’s the dizzying experience of witnessing how many original ideas Scott Treibitz can generate in minutes to communicate key messages for our clients. This knack is rooted in his upbringing and has been cultivated by his close-knit family.

Scott’s ability to identify the message and find the right mix of tools to tell the story, for example, has been honed since his father, a Democratic Central Committeeman, first got him working in politics as a 6-year-old doing door-to-door canvassing for Hubert H. Humphrey’s presidential run in 1968. After that experience, he was hooked. While his childhood dream to become governor of New Jersey has subsided over the years, he has never stopped wanting to make a difference in the world.

A policy geek, something he developed as a high school and college debate team member, Scott’s extensive understanding of history, politics, media and issues – and his unfailing instinct for what moves audiences and wins arguments – has been the backbone of successful media, marketing and public affairs campaigns throughout his career.

Scott heads the team at the firm he founded some 24 years ago, but is not just a figurehead. He still gets down and dirty in all projects, even if it means building media lists, hanging banners or stuffing envelopes. Over the years he has developed a solid reputation for hard work, honesty and proven results. He draws on his 25 years of Washington, D.C., experience to provide insightful strategic counsel and public relations plans aligned to clients’ goals. He works directly with clients to target audiences, develop effective messages and implement outreach strategies. Scott is widely regarded as an innovative professional, hailed by many of his friends and colleagues for his ability to apply new technologies to accomplish complex tasks.

Scott started his professional life in the Public Affairs Department of the American Federation of Teachers, where he was part of the communications team that helped position the union as a progressive leader in education reform and its president, Albert Shanker, as an education statesman. Scott traveled extensively with Shanker during the heyday of education reform, helping to develop innovative public policy strategies and implementation tactics, while also generating high-intensity media coverage.

Scott was communications director of the International Union of Electronic Workers from 1991-1993, positioning a sleepy, unknown union as the key voice in the political battle over international trade issues, job training and outsourcing. He propelled the union's president, William Bywater, into national limelight during the debate on NAFTA as the go-to spokesperson for news and talking head shows.

He served as the Ohio press secretary for Dukakis/Bentsen during the 1988 presidential election, as an organizer on the 1984 Mondale presidential campaign, and has worked on dozens of other local, state and federal campaigns.

In the 1980s, Scott was a media outreach specialist for the consumer group, Bankcard Holders of America, in early battles over high interest rates and high credit card fees. His work in generating targeted saturation media by congressional district helped move legislation to protect consumers, also helping Scott develop a clear understanding of the link between media and lobbying.

Scott's most important work, however, isn't Tricom or his clients. It's working with his wife to raise his three daughters, ages 16, 14 and 12. A big Nationals baseball fan, you can find him at the park often when the team is in town.